Bet you thought I was going to have to tackle a Gila Monster barehanded didn't you?

Longest single span suspension bridge in the US and one of the 12 most amazing bridges in the country

MY 1998 Yamaha XT 350 air cooled, double overhead cam, 4 valve shim over bucket, Mono-X rear suspension, right side up forks in fork boots up front and approximately 10" of travel and 6 speed transmission with altered gearing... is an excellent tool for the kind of riding in the outback of Arizona CA and Baja I prefer.  Newer bikes frankly have few advantages and many disadvantages over my 20 year old Yamaha.  

Old Reliable  Dusty from its ordeal.

Trusty Dakota

Sure I could have a WR/CR 450 Baja kitted, for the road but why?  More complexity equal more possibility for a failure, a damaged radiator, failed water pump, seat height.  In return I get more power than I ever use out there.  Some of my very best off road rides in North America have been on simple and often aged machinery that I keep well tuned and in top condition.  For example, it may be a bit of a hassle to kick start the engine (does anybody remember those days?) but the 3 amp battery is about the size of two cigarette packs together (does anybody remember cigarette packages?) 

Besides that weight reduction and potential problem area, I can start and operate the 350 with a dead battery.

That's straight up folks!

Many years ago I did a week long adventure ride in southern BC after trucking two XT 225's, 500 miles to do this.  Turned out my Serow had a dead battery and in those days replacements for then then new BS sealed batteries were very scarce.  Fortunately the bike weighs leas than 250 pounds and I always stopped in an area where the bike could be push started or rolled to start.  I never stopped in a ravine or valley on that trip.

Descent to Fish Creek

Having the use of a Dodge Dakota pick up truck I loaded the bike onto the short bed diagonally and my gear including camping stuff, into the rear cabin.

Down we go :)

I left Glendale (which is diagonally opposite of the area I was headed to) in the wee hours of the morning just after sun rise and traversed the freeways to the city of Apache Junction.  From here I headed to Tortilla Flats and the Apache Trail, just so I could see that amazing canyon at Fish Creek.

Lots of these in the area

I took a bunch of photos again, not sure why as I have pics from several previous visits, dreamed what it may have been like for the Hohokam and the later Apache tribes that inhabited the area well before the 'white-man and woman' arrived.  Often in our air conditioned cars and homes that alter our living space we forget that for thousands of years, these areas had little running water, were even drier and more arid than today and life as it were, was full of hardship and danger.

Even in the early 1900's the trip via wagon train from Payson took days and was fraught with danger.  

I stopped at the final look out before entering Fish Creek from the top headed down, not another vehicle or soul about (except for the spirits from centuries past) and of course was immediately smacked upside the head by the suffocating heat.  Out here even in early May, temperatures are well into three digits and I was glad the old Dodge while not perfect, did have a working A/C unit.

The road is little used and to be honest, more scary going down than riding the bike.  There is precious little room but the descent (or ascent) is simply... fabulous!  

After more photos (thank goodness for digital camera's) I drove the 20 odd miles of the gravel Apache Trail for what seems like two hours, and I emerged at the Teddy Roosevelt dam.  An impressive structure as these things tend to be, it was the gateway for my planned circumnavigation of the lake, something I have been meaning to do for some years. 

T.R. Dam

After a few more photos and once again thankful of the coolness of the truck, I turned south on 188 , headed to the village where I checked in with the local tourist information center.  Most people that come here do so for the water sports recreation offered by the large lake.  I was looking for a different perspective, wanting to find a place to unload the bike and ride around the lake, a distance of some.  I had wonderful memories as I rode south on 188 as I passed Tonto National Monument and another trip I had written about some years ago. (CB issue #307 December 2014 Rolling up the Rim) 

I followed the lonely highway some dozen or so miles through the desert until arriving at State route 288 which gradually climbs from the Salt Lake river valley up into the Mogollon Rim.  

The overnight trip previously was an eye opener.  During the 500 miles I put on the XT on that trip I had climbed into pine forest at 8000' and stopped at Young for some nostalgic history of the worst range wars in Arizona, where the Tewksbury and Graham family succeeded n killing themselves off.

Very modern tourist information in Roosevelt AZ

Good thing I get along with my neighbors on County Line Road, the Grahams...

I found one of many basic pull offs used by locals for picnicking or fishing in the Salt, unloaded the bike and in the 110F heat, pulled on my gear.  To be perfectly 'frank'  I was already drenched by the time I had my ICON boots secured.

Locked up, I found my way back to 288 and turned left... over the Salt River and the climb up toward the NW side of the Lake, which by the way, is the largest lake in Arizona!

I made certain my bike was in good order, no spits or pops from the exhaust, tires were good and handling and braking were in proper order.

Picking up FSR 60 on the climb, known locally as the A-Cross road, I saw no one until arriving back at 188 on the NW corner of the lake.  This route was not difficult (except for the washboard sections) and would be passable in dry (who am I kidding, there's less than 10" of rainfall a year!) conditions by the family sedan.  Only a few spots were loose golf ball sized rocks and going slow, the family SUV could easily manage this.

Does it get better than this... Sunny warm and a great Dual Purpose bike 

Right away I realized that this route is much better ridden clockwise.  Riding it in a counter clockwise direction I missed out on the views.

Note to self.

Salt River Old powerhouse

The washboard sections were rough, but limited to corners and hills for the most part.  In fact it was so rough in some places I realized I had inadvertently lost my slime and tire sealant somewhere from my tail box!

I knew I was close to civilization at Methodist Creek, the ride widened and was better graded.  After a short detour to Indian Point, where I realized I could not cross... I eventually back tracked and picked up state highway 188 once again.

Once back on pavement I turned up the dial to an even 60 mph and by late afternoon I was back loading my bike back onto Dakota but not before experiencing a rare misstep for me.

Crossing the Roosevelt Bridge, I pulled off to the right onto the narrow shoulder.  I misjudged the camber of the pavement and upon putting my left leg out to support XT and I, found it to be just an inch or so short.  For any of you that have done this, that inch is pretty much enough to topple me over.  With a toenail on the ground leaned over to the left I thought I might be able to save it but about 10 seconds of struggling right at the tipping point, I was out of strength and over we went!

Old dirt bike trick, loosen levers just in case.

No damage was done to either bike or body but once again I am reminded how easy it is to spill, even went stopped!

Found in excellent tourist info, Roosevelt

With everything secure and the A/C doing double duty I bid farewell to the SL valley and headed out to 188 and beyond Globe which I hoped to reach by early evening.  Still on the ups and downs of a well paved 288, lo and behold I spot one of, if not the most rare of the SW desert creatures.

Vast vista's.

I pull off the highway, grabbed my camera and walk back the 50 yards or so to my very first and likely last genuine Arizona, Sonora desert Gila Monster. 

After waving two cars around him as he plodded his way across the road in no particular line, crossing the yellow line several times, I found a short piece of sturdy brush and gently veered him off the highway, twice he stopped and refused to continue turning around and hissing audibly at my intrusion into his life.  Of course I was convinced that had I not pulled over, his life would have been moments away from squished!

I was stoked beyond words!

Interesting side note... where he eventually made it to the should, and in the fe seconds I took to dispose of the brush in my hand, I could not fine him/her.  The 16 inch long Monster just vanished into the surround undergrowth.

One of , if not the Most rarest of desert creatures.

Can you imagine how stoked I was getting back into the truck.  I've been traveling s down here and never had I seen a live and intact Gila Monster.  Apparently they are incredibly rare and most locals will go a lifetime without seeing one outside a zoo.  

I smiled all the way to Globe!